The sights of the countryside surrounded them. Off in the distance, the mountains were shrouded in darkness.
They made their way to a small stone bridge. This was the path that led to the capital.
The man took the girl’s hand. <Stay by my side.> On the off chance that they were attacked, the man meant to protect the girl, even at the cost of his life.
The girl’s cheeks were red. But this was nothing like a flush of embarrassment. She not only gave him her hand, but she even leaned into him.
Side by side, they walked through the night until they finally reached the city. Normal people would have felt terribly sore, but it was no problem for them.
✦ ✦ ✦
They were before the main way in Nibelungen, under an arch where the name of the city was carved. Having finally reached the city, the silver man came to a stop.
He looked straight at the girl and said, <We are about to enter a human city. And so, now I have a request of you.> His voice was tense. <I want you to avoid any preconceived notions as you look around. There will surely be kind people. There will surely be things you will enjoy.>
The girl nodded without thinking about it deeply.
The man didn’t notice that her nod was not entirely honest.
Because the girl had already found something she enjoyed.
Just walking along the night road where there was nothing but country fields, pulled by the young man’s had, the girl had been enjoying herself. Her heart was pounding. She wanted him to take her hand again, and this time, for him to draw her close.
She didn’t tell him that she was already enjoying herself. She was worried that if she voiced it, their goal here would be done, and it would be over.
She wanted to keep walking with him.
✦ ✦ ✦
The pair decided to stay at an inn that was neither expensive nor cheap, but right in the middle.
Leaving their bag in the room, they rested only a little before the two of them headed into the city.
Being that it was the capital, the city was bustling, indeed, and full of vitality.
But that was all.
✦ ✦ ✦
There wasn’t a single thing about this city the girl could enjoy.
She never felt any of the simple joys or pounding of her heart that she’d felt when they’d been walking together with the fields around them.
And that was because no matter where you looked…
…the city was overflowing with dragonslayers.
There were opera performances. The story depicted a hero killing the evil dragon Fafnir—or the story of God raining lightning down upon the treacherous dragon Lucifer and thrusting him down into hell. The singers loudly belted out their songs of the honor of heroes and humiliation of dragons.
There was a bronze statue in the square. It depicted a soldier thrusting a spear into a dragon’s breast. The children running around the square were playing pretend and slaying dragons with make-believe weapons. The role of the dragonslayer was popular, and they all fought over it. In the end, a child who looked like the son of a soldier got the role of dragonslayer, and a timid-looking child had the role of evil dragon foisted on them.
There was a book being sold. It was an award-winning romance novel popular with women. The summary revealed that it was about a prince killing a dragon to save a princess, who he later wed.
The grilled meat of a small dragon was being sold at a food stall. They said that dragon fat was used as fuel for the fire that cooked the meat. The girl thought it was a nasty joke.
The disguised silver dragon had said there were surely kind people in this city, there would surely be things she enjoyed…
But to the girl…
…this bustling and resplendent city of Nibelungen…
…was nothing more than a nightmare made real.
✦ ✦ ✦
Yet the girl walked on.
And that was because before passing through the arches, the young man had told her: <I want you to avoid any preconceived notions as you look around.>
On their third circle around, they found a group talking about the salvation of dragons. That was the only moment that the girl’s heart leaped. But learning of the group’s deeds caused her heart to sink again. That group was preaching that, when killing a dragon, it was necessary to give them a gentle death. They’d never had any intention of saving dragons’ lives.
After three days, she’d had enough.
✦ ✦ ✦
The dinner that was prepared for them at the inn tasted like sand in her mouth. The ingredients of the lands of men were far inferior to what could be harvested in Eden.
I wish we could have kept walking down the road that night forever.
The girl used a knife and fork to cut up her roast bird. She was intellectually aware of how to use utensils, but that didn’t mean she was used to it. Her handling was a bit awkward.
Seeing that, the young man said, <You use the knife like this. Look.>
The young man sliced up the bird—beautifully and skillfully.
The girl’s utensils clattered to the plate.
Enough was enough.
Instead of taking up her utensils, she could only clench her fists. They even trembled a little.
She couldn’t take it anymore—not the opera, the statue, the children, the book, or the stores.
But more than that, she couldn’t stand how her companion was so calm through it all.
<Do you feel nothing?> she demanded.
<What do you mean?> The young man brought a bite of meat to his mouth.
<Dragons are being killed, and their murders are being glorified. Their flesh is being eaten. Their fat made into fuel. Do you feel nothing even though you’re a dragon, too?>
Since they were both speaking in the True Language, the other customers in the restaurant couldn’t hear what they were saying.
<You must not let the fires of hatred burn within you. Remember, even if we meet an untimely end in this life, so long as our hearts are pure, we will meet again in the Kingdom of Eternity.>
The man swallowed. <The teachings of God dictate that we must hold no hatred for anyone.>
The girl bit her lip. <You feel no pain in your chest?>
<None.>
<Doesn’t your head grow hot? You don’t feel as though nothing matters? …Nothing, save the white-hot desire to thrust a knife into their flesh?> Her lip began to bleed. <You don’t want to see this city burn?>
<You’re bleeding. Stop biting your lip.>
<They won’t mourn your death, you know…>
<There is no need for sadness. In fact, death is something to be glad for. After death, the Kingdom of Eternity awaits.>
In the end, humans were humans, and dragons were dragons.
Though they would never see eye to eye…
…they both carried the same feeling in their heart:
Why can’t you understand something so simple?